We travelled to the Richtersveld with friends. The scenery was awesome. The high mountains and jagged rocks left us speechless. A normal car could hardly negotiate the uneven roads. We crawled slowly over the rocks and dongas.

One of the vehicles towed a small trailer. The driver asked us over the radio to let him pass so that he could go and look for a good camp site for the group. When we caught up with him after a while, our camps site was ready. A couple of metres from the river. For six days we could enjoy nature, play in the water and rest.

That friend of ours was the group’s forerunner – he went ahead – and prepared our site for us.

Jesus was our forerunner as well. The One who went to heaven ahead of us to prepare our place there: ²⁰… where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us … This is the only place where the Greek word prodromos, which is translated as forerunner, appears in the New Testament.

Do you remember that when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn in two? The curtain that separated the Holy of Holies that the high priest entered only once a year.

Now that the curtain was torn, there was no longer anything separating God and mankind. Ordinary people could also come to God. Jesus broke down the division that used to exist between people and God.

And He got there first. In a way, He tore the curtain so that you and I can talk to God ourselves. In other words, He was the forerunner and the first one who paved the way for us. Exactly what our friend did by driving ahead and preparing the camp site for us.

Our place in heaven is ready. We don’t have to be afraid of missing the bus. And it has nothing to do with us. It has nothing to do with how good I am. If it depended on that, none of us would’ve made it.

The fact that our place in heaven is ready and waiting for us, is only thanks to our forerunner, Jesus. Let’s show Him how grateful we are while we are still here on earth. Let’s go and make a difference in someone else’s life. Let’s walk ahead and prepare better places for others. Places that are more enjoyable, places where we can light up someone else’s world, and where they can also see and accept Jesus’ salvation and make it part of their lives.

Let us do what our older Brother did everywhere we go. Let’s be the forerunners for others and make their lives easier.

Scripture
Hebrews 6:18-20

Reflection
Who’s walking ahead?
Who are you following?
What does Jesus mean to you?

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for going ahead. Thank you for being prepared to die on the cross as punishment for our sin. I have no choice but to follow you. Please help me do it every moment of the day. Amen.